FOLKBOAT WEEK 2016 - The 51st
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he highlight of the Folkboat season is, without doubt, Folkboat week, for both
cruisers and Nordic fleets. The week provides a great mixture of very competitive
racing and highly enjoyable social events ranging from a singalong in the Kings Head
to the main prize giving dinner on the final Saturday. The general format has hardly
changed since the sixties! Why change a successful format. The harbour now very
kindly moors up all the visiting entrants together on a walk a shore pontoon which
adds to the friendly spirit of the regatta.
Lymington Yacht Haven very generously sponsors the week. The sponsorship money
enables competitors to have subsidized moorings, some free drinks and subsidised
meals and of course prizes. This makes the whole week not only affordable but also a
very social, pleasurable, but exhausting week. Thank you so much Lymington Yacht
Haven!
In 2016, the strong wind predictions for the first day’s racing had worried race officials
all day who were constantly checking the weather and as the fleet assembled on the
first Saturday their worst fears seemed to be coming true with many boats arrival being
delayed.
As the welcome dinner evening was drawing to a close the PRO Jeremy Willcock
decided that, for the first time in years, we would postpone the Sunday races until
Wednesday which is normally a lay day. Trying to make contact with all competitors
at 10pm at night was a daunting task but, thanks to help from the national committee
and the class captains, the message some how got out! The next morning, much to
the relief of officials, the forecast proved to be correct. The right decision had been
taken! We couldn’t have gone racing!
The week has a mixture of long (6hrs) races, including out to Christchurch Ledge and
east up the Solent towards Cowes and shorter 2.5Hrs round the cans style races. The
3 Windward/Leeward races always provide red hot sailing with at least one general
recall and even the dreaded Black flag has been used to hold back the over keen
boats. In addition we provide a Ladies Helm and Crew helm race, which sometimes
show the skippers just how well their boat can do! Last year the weather provided lots
of different types of racing, ranging from ‘survival’ conditions to very pleasant! With
even a quick ‘drink ’ to help keep the concentration up.
As has been the case for some years in this regatta the regular top place finishers
were up there with Madelaine ( RSYC) taking the overall honours this year, in a hotly
contested regatta. However even those who weren’t challenging for a ‘podium place’
still had their own battles for relative glory further back. Dirk and Sally Kalis, directors
of Lymington Yacht Haven, raced their respective boats in both divisions, which we
think is a first in Folkboat Week. Dirk racing his boat Kingdom Come in the Cruiser
division had a first in the long Solent race and a second in the Christchurch Ledge race
